The TTD Governing Council has decided to further focus on strengthening security at Tirumala in the wake of security warnings received after the Pahalgam terror attack. It is believed that more precautions will have to be taken in terms of security as it is a holy shrine visited by thousands of devotees from all over the country every day.
Steps have been taken to ensure that every devotee who comes to Tirumala to have darshan of Srivari returns home satisfied. The TTD Governing Council held a high-level review meeting to discuss this. The meeting, held at Annamayya Bhavan in Tirumala, was attended by senior officials of the police department, TTD and other security departments.
Anantapur Range DIG Dr. Shemushi presided over the meeting, said that in the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack, they have focused on further strengthening the security at the Tirumala temple and a security audit has been conducted as part of this. He said that all security forces and TTD departments should work in coordination and give top priority to protecting the sentiments of devotees.
In-charge CVSO and Tirupati Urban District Superintendent of Police Harshvardhan Raju explained through a PowerPoint presentation the security audit conducted in May 2023, the proposals made in the review, the changes to be taken based on the situation after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, and the precautionary measures to be taken by TTD.
The DIG stated that there is a need to coordinate all the security forces like APSP, DAR, SPF, Home Guards, Civil Police, TTD security personnel and formulate Standard Operating Procedures for each force. He suggested that proposals be prepared in this direction. Shemushi said that all access control teams, including private security personnel, should also be given adequate training.
It was suggested that security be further strengthened at 14 entrances to the Seshachala forest area, including the Talakona, Mamanduru, Thumburu Theertham and Mangalam routes. It was decided to take steps to train security personnel on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. It was decided to provide training on topics such as anti-sabotage measures, mock drills and evacuation drills.
